PTSD/PND - under-reported in new mothers

GoerGirl

Curious to see if anyone has any observations on the following. I read a survey recently of an Irish organisation (self-selecting, anonymous) which illustrated a worrying failure to acknowledge and support new mothers with birth trauma/PTSD/PND

Now, I have grouped these 3 classifications together as I personally feel our system does not support the recognition and diagnosis of one over the other...women with PTSD for instance are being treated for PND and so forth.

Has anyone come across anything substantial in this area for Ireland?

JuliusCaesar

It wouldn't surprise me. But I would see it as being due to the general/psychiatric divide. Midwives may not have a lot of mental health training, ditto obstetricians and their registrars.

Now before anyone jumps on me and tells me that of course the midwives/PHNs and Obstetricians all undergo mental health placements, can I say that how they apply this knowledge is variable.

And of course the women themselves don't always recognise that they have a problem or feel ashamed about it so that either way they don't seek the necessary help.

metrovelvet

There are no diagnostic protocols in place. ALso you get a lot of prenatal care and then once you have the baby there are no health follow ups for you whatsover.

I would also be interested if anyone has any information on the long term affects of short term memory loss after a baby. I know the sleep deprivation compromises it but I dont feel my short term memory has every fully recovered since I had my son three and a half years ago. I sort of feel like that guy in Momento but not as bad as him.

GoerGirl

Apologies - I really should have linked in the survey - http://aimsireland.com/files/AIMSI_WhatMattersToYou09_SurveyReport.pdf

I wasn't aware of the organisation until I read another post on boards.ie

The survey report states that women felt ante-natal instruction did not cover symptoms of PND and 36.7% of mothers stated "no" when asked if their "psychological well-being discussed with you at any time post natally by your care-giver (GP, consultant, midwife, PHN)"

The sample size is small 360ish - and self selecting (survey ran online) - I would love to see more substantial research on this area. For instance, in UK and most EU continental countries, maternal death includes figures up to 1 year post birth - to include suicide. This obviously takes into account mental health concerns and failures of the State to protect these women post delivery. Irish figures from ESRI do not include such figures - only death at time of birth. There is appears to be a whole realm of women unaccounted for...

From reading through comments and stories on the site, many of the women appear to have symptoms of PTSD rather than PND. In these instances the treatment would vary greatly.

I agree that there is not the diagnostic knowledge in place with midwives/PHNs/GPs/etc to provide efficient care or diagnosis to women post-natally. The Edinburgh Scale is heavily relied upon.

JuliusCaesar

We probably need a bit more cross-over - eg have a liason psychiatric nurse involved in these courses.

The maternity hospitals all have liason psychiatrists, who will see mothers referred to them, but it might need to be integrated more to give a truely holistic service.